How It Begins
by Tate Icasa
Summary: All alone one night, Odd has a talk with him subconscious mind that leads to a late night chat with Sissy. Inspired by Limited Heart's ficcy 'Cards'


How It Begins

By. Tate Icasa

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

A/N: This takes place a few years after the show. All the group is in college now.

He hated her the very first time he met her.

She was stuck-up, vain, conceited and selfish, and she didn't know when to give up.

He had the hate her.

She constantly insulted his intelligence, and he insulted hers.

When had he stopped hating her?

Was it when she had let her sworn rival help her campaign?

Was it when she had helped said rival, simply because they had asked and never asked for payment?

And soon enough his insults had stopped being hateful, and had been simply habitual.

When had he started to _like_ her?

Was it when she had lied to the police about her own father based only on a far-fetched story they had told her?

Was it when he'd spoken to her, not knowing it was her, and saw a better side?

And the insults changed again, became a safety net from thoughts he shouldn't have.

Still he pretended to hate her.

_Coward._

"What?" He whispered, alone in the darkness of his room, startled at the sudden thought.

Receiving no reply from that corner of his mind, his thoughts continued.

She was so far out of his league it was ridiculous that he could like her.

His insults had turned to teasings, but she had never noticed.

She had merely continued with insults that now stabbed his heart, and he was surprised it didn't show on his face.

And so he'd retaliate without thinking.

Let her continue thinking he hated her.

That was the safest thing.

_Coward._

There was that voice again.

"Why?" He asked.

Again he got no response.

He could stay with his group, the losers, for lack of a better term.

And she'd stay with her own, the populars.

There was no middle ground, and there never could be.

So he'd stick with shooting insults back and forth to hear her voice, and watching from afar.

_Coward._

Again.

"Who?"

_You._

"Why?"

_You're hiding._

He said nothing.

But he knew it was true.

He was hiding from her.

_You're afraid of her._

For a second he rejected that possibility.

Then he realized it was true.

He knew she'd reject him.

After all she was in love with his best fried.

It was all so stupid.

_Then go to her._

And so he did.

_Knock, knock, knock._

He heard shuffling inside the room.

He expected the door to open. She'd say 'what do you want' very rudely. Then he'd make some lame excuse and walk away. She'd think he'd done it jus to annoy her, and they'd go on the way they had before.

It had happened several times.

He expected it.

But the door opened slowly and he saw her peek out.

She looked like she'd been crying.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, sounding startled.

"I don't know." He said. "Something told me I needed to be."

She looked at him for a moment and then moved out of the doorway so he could move inside.

She was a mess. Her hair was loose and wiled, and her clothes were wrinkled, her eyes tear-stained, and she looked so unlike herself it made him want to scream.

But, of course, he didn't.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"What do you care?" She shot back.

He flinched. "What's wrong?" He repeated.

She looked at him strangely while she shut the door.

"I-it's Ulrich." She admitted.

Secretly, he cursed himself.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and didn't protest when he sat down next to her.

"What happened?" He asked.

"He-he proposed to Yumi." She said, and started to cry again. "Right in front of me!"

Then she surprised him by throwing her arms around him and sobbing into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her and began untangling the knots in her hair.

After a few minutes the tears subsided and she pulled back.

"Thank you." She whispered.

He wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

"I must look terrible." She said.

"No." He said, and he meant it. "You look beautiful."

"You're the last person I'd expect to hear that from."

"Well get used to it." He said, smirking. "See you." He said, and he closed the door on his way out.

She stared after him at the closed door for a second, and then she started to smile.

"See you." She said.


End file.
